SC zoo called in to help Raleigh snakebite victim
DISAPPEA
>>> A RALEIGH MAN DROVE HIMSELF
TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER HE WAS
BITTEN BY HIS PET.
THE TWIST, HIS PET WAS ONE OF
THOSE.
THAT'S THE GREEN MAMBA SNAKE.
THE ANTIVENOM WAS PHONE IN FROM
A ZOO IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
JOE FISHER UNRAVELING THIS
INTERESTING CHAIN OF EVENTS IN
A STORY ONLY ON WRAL.
>> Reporter: GREEN MAMBA SNAKE
IS SHY AND SLENDER BUT QUICK
AND VENOMOUS.
>> IF YOU GET BIT WITHOUT
ANTIVENOM YOUR CHANCES OF
SURVIVAL ARE VERY LOW.
>> WAS OF THE ESSENCE SUNDAY
WHEN A MAN SHOWED UP AFTER
GETTING BY HIS GREEN MAMBA.
HE NEEDED ANTIVENOM BUT THE
CLOSEST SPOT WAS 250 MILES AWAY
AT THE RIVER BANK ZOO IN
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.
>> THEY GOT A HELICOPTER AND
SAID WHERE CAN WE LAND?
>> CURATOR AT THE ZOO WHICH HAS
THREE GREEN MAMBAS.
THEY QUICKLY PACKED A COOLER
WITH TEN VIALS ON ICE AND DROVE
IT TO NEARBY LEXINGTON MEDICAL
CENTER BEFORE THE ANTIVENOM WAS
FLOWN TO U IN.
C REX.
>> WE WANTED TO HELP GET IT
THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO
MITIGATE SYMPTOMS.
>> Reporter: DOCTORS USED FOUR
VIALS TO TREAT THE PATIENT WHO
IS EXPECTED TO BE OKAY.
>> THE SOONER YOU GET IT, THE
BETTER OBVIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY
WITH GREEN MAMBA BITE.
IT'S A NEURO TOXIC VENOM SO IT
WILL AFFECT YOUR BREATHING.
THAT PERSON IMMEDIATELY WENT TO
THE HOSPITAL WHICH IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO BECAUSE YOU MAY
STOP BREATHING PRETTY QUICK.
>> Reporter: RALEIGH POLICE SAY
THE SNAKE IS BACK WITH ITS
OWNER.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE LAW
REQUIRES VENOMOUS SNAKES BE
KEPT IN A STURDY ENCLOSURE WITH
A LOCK.
SOME PEOPLE DO KEEP GREEN
MAMBAS AS PETS BUT HE ADVISES
AGAINST IT.
>> THEY'RE NOT PARTICULARLY
AGGRESSIVE BUT THEY'RE REALLY
FAST AND CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR
UNTRAINED PERSON TO WORK WITH.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD EVER
WANT TO PERSONALLY HAVE, THAT'S
FOR SURE.
>> I AM JOE FISHER, WRAL NEWS,
ARE A THE.
>>> IF YOU ARE WATCHING ON A
BIG SCREEN IN 4K, THAT'S A BIG
SNAKE.
RALEIGH POLICE SAY THE ANIMAL
CONTROL DIVISION CONTINUES TO
INVESTIGATE CIRCUMSTANCES